To lose or gain
by HiddenPortrait
Summary: sometimes to gain something you must lose something. Draco loses his memory but in doing so gains a whole new persepctive on his friends, enemies, family and Hogwarts.


The radio blared with news over the Weasley (plus Harry of course) breakfast table.

"and still no news on the where abouts of Draco Malfoy. The boy went missing from his bed four weeks ago and not a trace of him has been found. Reports say that the boys mother hasn't left her room since he went missing. His father Lucious Malfoy has said there will be a large reward for any information leading to the where abouts of his only son and heir to the Malfoy fortune..."

Molly turned it down, "it's so tragic…."

"tragic? Mum this is Draco Malfoy who cares?" Ron mumbled through his cornflakes

"Don't talk with your mouth full! I still feel for his poor mother. I cant imagine what she's going through" she said with a sigh.

4 weeks earlier

Narcissa Malfoy looked down at her sleeping son, he was beautiful, just like the day he was born. But…there was something changing her perfect son. Just like it changed her once perfect husband. She wouldn't let it happen, she wouldn't let them have her son too. The son who had brought her a flower when he was six and told her he had picked it just for her. The son who had been so afraid of leaving her alone while he went to school. The compassionate, caring, sweet, son.

She remembered the day he was born. Lucious hadn't been there, he was too busy doing 'business' but she had still been happy because it was her chance to have someone love her again. She hadn't felt love in such a very long time. She also remembered when she first met Lucious and they had fallen madly in love. They didn't care about anything but each other. They were so lucky that their families were pleased with the union. They swore on their wedding night that they would be together forever and love each other until they died. At first that as how it was. She woke up each morning in his arms and they watched the sun rise together. Then he started to work for the Dark Lord. She knew he was doing it for her but….it was hard seeing the man she loved leave at night to do unspeakable things, to wake up in the morning alone and wondering if he were even alive, to see the once proud man cry and have nightmares because of the orders he was forced to follow. All of this for her. One day he stopped crying and the nightmares…well they didn't see much of each other any more. It only got worse when she fell pregnant. She hoped it would make her husband settle down but it only made him work harder and longer. He wanted so badly to take care of his family. That's how it started at least, she didn't know anymore. The man she married was gone replaced by a soulless shell. She could not let her beautiful son become like that. She was a mother and had to protect him.

So she placed a sleeping charm on him and hid him away, where no one could harm him. She knew she couldn't keep him there forever but….just for a little while, until her plan was complete.

Back to the Weasley house…

Later in the morning the kids were playing in the field next to the house. That is all of them except for Ginny. She had been told in no uncertain terms that she was not allowed to play Quidditch with the rest of them. Ron said it was because she was a girl, the twins said it was because they knew she should be doing homework, Harry said he didn't want her to get hurt but she knew it was because it would make the teams uneven. They were so stupid! She wandered towards the forest on the other side of the field, bored out of her mind. At first she thought it was her imagination that someone was walking towards her but as it got closer she realised it wasn't. She squinted to make out who it was, worried a muggle had waltzed onto their property. When he got close enough she realized who it was. But it _couldn't_ be! She stopped and stared as the boy wandered, unsteadily, towards her. Finally he was only a few metres away from her.

"excuse me" he asked in an unusually meek voice, "I'm lost. Please…please help me" suddenly he passed out.

She knelt beside him, "Ron! Fred! George! Harry!" she screamed to her brothers (and Harry).

They flew over to her, "what's wrong Ginny?" asked Fred

"He-he's just collapsed here" she mumbled

"who Gin?" asked Harry landing beside her and gasping in shock, "Ron I think you'd better go get your mum"

"what's wrong Harry? Who is it?" asked George

"Draco Malfoy"

"what?"

"go get your mum!"

Ron, Fred and George all zoomed towards the house, jumping off their brooms as they ran in.

"boys your all dirty, clean up, and where's Harry and Ginny?" asked their mother as soon as they walked in.

"mum Draco Malfoy is in the field" George said quickly.

"stop being stupid George" she snapped

"no it's true mum, Ginny found him in the field! He's unconscious!" Ron said desperately.

She frowned, "if this is some stupid prank…."

"it's not I swear on all that is nasty and sneaky this is NOT a prank!" Fred promised.

Their father walked down the stairs, "what's wrong?"

"Go to St. Mungos and tell them we've found Draco Malfoy." Said Molly

"what?" his eyes grew

"hurry Arthur!"

"oh yes of course!" he grabbed some floo powder, "St. Mungos" and he was gone.

"Now, show me where he is!" she picked up her first aid kit and followed the boys out. In the field she bent over the unconscious form of Draco Malfoy, he was lying in the grass a Weasley jumped under his head, "is this how you found him?"

"no, he was walking towards me and then he said" Ginny made face, "he asked me to help him because he was lost and then he just dropped."

Molly set about checking pulse, breathing ect. When Dracos eyes opened lazily

"where am I?" he asked, his voice quivering as if he were about to cry.

"It's ok dear, we found you in the field near our house." Said Molly naturally maternally.

He looked from one face to another, "I don't know how I got here"

"That's alright, soon you'll be with your mum and dad again" she cooed (can you imagine? Draco being mothered by Molly? Kya! )

"but…but…" he started breathing quickly, "I…"

"Calm down, big breaths"

"Where am i?" he finally started crying.

Molly smiled, "I told you dear, near our house"

"who are you?" Everyone stared at him.

"It's me Harry Potter and the Weasleys" said Harry slowly. Draco just looked blankly at them, sniffing.

"Molly!" Arthur's voice rang over the field.

"yes, yes he's here." She called back out.

All at once the family stood back as the mediwitches and wizards took over, tending to him, putting him in the special box attached to their brooms so they could take him to the hospital. The busy field was silent once more.

"Mum was that really Draco Malfoy?" asked Ginny.

"I suppose we'll know soon enough wont we?" she answered, "come on inside with the lot of you"

"Hey! If it _is_ really Draco Malfoy then we'll get the reward money!" Fred's eyes lit up.

"how large to you think a large reward is?" pondered George.

Later that evening the radio once again gave out the news of the day

"and lastly the heir of the Malfoy estate is in St. Mungos today after he was found wandering in a field near the home of a wizarding family. Medi-wizards have confirmed his identity and say he is well. Apparently the boy was not harmed at all but was clean and well fed. Lucious and a frail looking Narcissa Malfoy were both at the hospital today and spoke to the media.

((Lucious voice)) we are both extremely happy to have our son with us again and we will continue to search for his kidnappers.

When asked about his condition they stated he was fine accepting for some shock induced amnesia that should wear off after a little time. He will be staying in the hospital for observation for another week before returning home and then he'll head off to Hogwarts at the start of term with the rest of his school."

AN: where did this come from you may ask? I dunno its similar to another story that I've never posted anywhere….actually only my dear twin has read it. Heres a fun game how many times is 'what' mentioned in this chapter? C'mon!


End file.
